A Fall River man has been sentenced to 12 and a half years in state prison for setting a Fall River mill building on fire in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2012.

Forty-year-old Christopher Silva was convicted on Wednesday and sentenced immediately. Police say Silva set fire to a small mill building at 386 Kilburn Street, less than 20 feet from the much larger King Phillip Mills. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the larger structure.

Silva was arrested by arson investigators later that morning.

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